What housing options are available?

The First Year Area includes Aurora Hall, Corona Hall and Regina Hall. All three Residence Halls are connected to Mary Commons. The First Year Residence Halls are home to approximately 500 residents, most of whom are first year students. First Year Students are assigned to live in double, single, or triple rooms. While the majority of our housing is comprised of double rooms, you may be assigned to any of these room types as a new student. You may live in either a single, double or triple room. Each floor in the residence halls has a Resident Assistant (RA). Each RA is responsible for tending to the needs of her community and serving as a resource to the residents. There are computer labs and laundry facilities in each residence hall, and all rooms are carpeted. For more information, please go to the First Year Hall Information page. Additionally, the Facility Facts page provides specific information about the types of rooms in each building and approximate dimensions.

Are students required to live on campus?

Yes, the College of Saint Benedict is a four-year residential liberal arts college and all CSB students are required to live on campus. This policy began with all students who enrolled as first-year students at CSB in the Fall of 2010 and applies to all subsequently enrolled students. Students who are married or have dependent children living with them may submit a written statement to appeal the on-campus residency requirement. For more details please visit our Four Year Residential Experience page.

What amenities does the on-campus housing offer?

The Residential Halls and Apartments come furnished. Please refer to the Room Amenities page for a detailed list of what each room, suite, apartment or house includes.

What size are the beds (what sheets do I need to buy)?

The beds are standard twin size beds. Extra-long mattresses are available if needed. Please contact the Residential Life Department if you need to request one.

Are there laundry facilities available for students?

All residence halls have laundry facilities located in a central area or and some halls offer laundry on each floor. The cost of laundry is incorporated into students housing fees, there is no additional cost when you go to do your wash. All washers in the laundry rooms on campus are High-Efficiency (HE) washers and require HE laundry detergent. HE detergents are concentrated and low-sudsing, especially for low water HE washers. Regular detergents will damage the washers and make doing laundry times run longer than scheduled as well as causing damage to the machines. Please look for the "HE" symbol when you shop for laundry detergent.

Do the residential halls offer cable television?

All rooms offer basic cable television. You need to provide your own cable ready TV and coaxial cable. See the Campus Cable (need campus username and password) site for more info.

When can guests be in the residence halls?

In order to provide an environment that nurtures the gender specific nature of our community guests of the opposite sex at both CSB and SJU must abide by Open House Hours. On each campus Open House Hours as are follows:

Sunday -Thursday: 9:00 am - 12 am (midnight)

Friday - Saturday: 9:00 am - 2:00 am

It will be important for you to discuss with your roommate your expectations regarding guests. If you are uncomfortable with the situation in your room in regard to guests, it is important for you to speak with your Resident Assistant (RA) so the issue can be discussed and resolved between the roommates.

Am I allowed to loft my bed?

Yes, you are allowed to loft your bed, but the lofts must be rented via Bedloft.com, the official vendor for CSB. Students are not allowed to construct their own lofts on either campus. For more details please visit the Bedloft Information page.

What type of meal plans are available?

All first year and sophomore students living in a residence hall are required to be on the Continuous Meal Plan. This meal plan includes:

Continuous Meal Punch - This plan allows unlimited entry to the Gorecki Dining Center or the Refectory 7 days a week during designated operating hours.

Additional Daily Meal Punch - This plan includes 1 meal punch per day that can be used at the Retail Operations of McGlynn's or Sexton for 1 designated combo meal per day.

Bucks - This includes 75 Bucks (i.e. flex points) per semester that can be used at any of the dining locations.

Guest Passes - Ideal for visiting family and friends, this plan includes 4 free guest passes per semester that can be used at Gorecki Dining Center or the Refectory.

Is wireless network connection available on campus?

Wireless network connection is available in every hall. All residence hall rooms also have Ethernet wall jacks available for a wired connection as well.

Do I need to bring a computer or a printer to campus?

You are encouraged to bring a computer; however, owning your own computer is not required. It's simply a matter of convenience. Ethernet ports as well as access to the campus's wireless network are provided in all residence hall rooms so students can connect. All residence halls have computer labs which are available to student's 24-hours a day. In addition, students can use computers in access areas or labs on either campus that are open from 8 a.m. - 2 a.m. on most days. These PCs are loaded with academic specific and popular general purpose applications. Whether you own a computer or not, all students have network accounts with ample data storage space, which are backed up regularly, and can be accessed from either their own computer or from any other PC on campus. Printers are also available in all the campus computer labs and most students use this option as they can then avoid the expense of purchasing paper and printing supplies for their own personal printer. However, some students do like having the convenience of a printer in their room. For information about connecting to the campus network please go to the IT Services page, Preparing Your Computer to Arrive on Campus.

Are First Years allowed to have a car on campus?

There are no restrictions regarding personal vehicles on campus; however, there is also no pressing need for you to have a personal car. The Link (the inter campus shuttle service) provides safe and convenient transportation to and from each campus and St. Cloud. For most students with vehicles it is a personal preference. Students with vehicles on-campus must register them with CSB Security and purchase a parking permit. Short term permits are also available.

What happens if I get sick at school?

The College of Saint Benedict Health Service, located in the lower level of Lottie Hall, in conjunction with Counseling and Health Promotion forms the CSB Health Center. The Health Service is designed with the specific needs of college women in mind. The women of Saint Benedict will find an experienced staff who can address their needs in a comfortable, confidential environment. The Health Service offers primary care including treatment of acute illnesses, injuries and mental health concerns; preventative health exams; travel consults; and immunizations. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. To better serve patients, appointments are preferred and can be made on-line, if desired.

HealthPartners Central Minnesota Clinics operates a clinic at Saint John's University providing primary care and urgent care services in the south wing of the Quadrangle on 1st floor. The clinic is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the fall and spring semesters. Days and hours of service may be reduced during breaks and over the summer. Services offered include checkups, physical examinations, immunizations, travel consultations and vaccinations, urgent care and treatments. NovaCare physical therapy services are available here also. HealthPartners operates on a fee-for-service basis and accepts most insurance plans.

There are also a variety of health care providers in the St. Cloud area including a clinic in St. Joseph. It is important that you check with your insurance provider to identify the provider that your student should use so that out-of-network costs are not incurred. All students are required to have health insurance. Students not covered under another policy can enroll in the group insurance offered through CSB/SJU. The residential life staff at both CSB and SJU as well as the Security and Life Safety staff can also provide your student with assistance if he or she becomes ill. For serious situations, we utilize the resources of Gold Cross Ambulance and the St. Cloud Hospital.

What happens if there is an emergency?

CSB Campus Security and SJU Life Safety Services are staffed 24 hours, 7 days a week, and can assist you in an emergency. CSB Campus Security can be reached at (320) 363-5000 and SJU Life Safety can be reached at (320) 363-2144.

I feel like I don't have anything in common with my roommate, what do I do?

Please remember that you and your roommate may have different backgrounds and may be very different people but if you are respectful of one another you may be very good roommates, and you may even end up being friends. A roommate hopefully is someone you can live with compatibly, that you can agree with upon needs for rest, studying and guests in your room. You may come from different places (rural vs urban hometowns, you may have different; religions, socio-economic backgrounds, family structures, and more), but you come to college to grow and learn, and part of that is done through navigating your roommate relationship.

What happens if I don't get along with my roommate?

We have tools to help you and your roommate set up your boundaries and expectations. We ask all students to complete a roommate agreement and use this as a tool later should a medication be necessary. If you and your roommate run into challenges, you should contact your Resident Assistant who will help you try to resolve the issue or conflict. Assistance can also be provided by the Residence Director's who are professional staff members living in the community with the students. Please be aware that the process for resolving roommate conflicts emphasizes communication between the individuals. If the problems cannot be resolved in a mutually acceptable way, a room change may take place, however please understand that due to limited space and resources, such moves may not be always be possible or the timeline may depend on other moves happening first.

When can I access a housing form? When are they due?

You can begin filling out your housing form in early April, as long as you have paid the $300 enrollment fee to secure your spot at CSB/SJU. The housing form is available via a link in the Forms Portal and is due by May 15. Please note that we do not begin the roommate matching process until after the May 15 deadline.

When will I find out my room assignment and roommates name?

Assignments will be sent out to you via your campus email account in mid-July.